Tiny heart pump 'saved dad's life', says daughter

The family of the first patient in Yorkshire to successfully receive one of the world's smallest artificial heart pumps has thanked doctors for "saving his life".

John Barrass, 78, from Chesterfield, needed an operation to unblock his arteries after a cardiac arrest left his heart's function critically impaired.

Cardiologists at Sheffield's Northern General Hospital decided he needed one of the 15 new miniature heart pumps which had been funded by the Sheffield Hospitals Charity.

His daughter, Kirsty Lowden, 47, said: "During the operation his heart stopped. The device had to kick in for about five minutes. So, without that, he wouldn't be here now."

The "Impella" heart pump was designed for the country's sickest heart patients and was used for the first time in Lincolnshire last year.

The device sits inside the left ventricle and works by temporarily taking over the function of the heart to provide it with strong blood pumping pressure to ensure sufficient blood flow to the heart muscle while it is operated on.

Reflecting on the experience, Kirsty said: "We didn't know dad was going to be the first to have one of the new pumps, but his arteries were like calcium.

"All the doctors reviewing his case agreed they would use the device should they need to.

"We've been joking that he's a medical marvel now. We're really, really grateful.

"That device saved my dad's life, no question."

Dr Aetesam Rahman, consultant cardiologist at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, who leads the Impella programme, said it was a "really excellent result".

He performed the procedure with a team of experts, including Prof Paul Morris, Dr Arvin Krishnamurthy and Dr Jon Rosser.

Rahman explained: "The pump was able to deliver an additional 3.5 litres of blood a minute – which was in addition to what John's heart was already able to pump, bringing it to near-normal levels during the procedure.

"Most patients undergoing heart procedures, such as coronary angioplasty or stents, will not need one of these devices.

"But for patients like John, undergoing high-risk procedures, research shows these pumps increase survival by more than 70% up to six months after surgery."

The 15 pumps gifted by Sheffield Hospitals Charity are expected to benefit about one patient a month.

Those are expected to include patients referred from hospitals in Doncaster, Barnsley and Chesterfield who are experiencing cardiogenic shock, or those who are in acute cardiac distress, such as patients awaiting a heart transplant, those with multiple illnesses and those undergoing high-risk cardiac procedures.

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